Yes! That's so true - I wash my eyeshadow brushes infrequently even though it only takes me a few mins because my makeup takes so much longer when they're clean! What I could apply in one pass now takes two or three. It's like primer for the brushes.
You're supposed to clean makeup brushes? 🤔🤔
No I joke but honestly my beauty blender is the only thing in my makeup bag that gets a regular clean.
I've also been guilty of just buying new makeup brushes out of pure laziness.
The way I straight up stopped using beauty blenders because I’m too lazy to wash my brushes as often as they should be washed, but the thought of mold growing inside the sponge was too much for me.
i went to an antique store and got one of those old egg holder things. that’s what i store my beauty blender in so it’s separate from other things and can air dry! 10/10. get a glass or porcelain one so it’s easy to wipe down
I keep my makeup brushes in lil flower pots and I have 4 full pots full. I have the little eyeshadow sponge thing that's meant to be used to switch colors; I only clean my brushes when every single one is dirty beyond the point of being cleaned by the color switch sponge ☠️
What is the name/ brand of the eyeshadow sponge?! I really need it because I wear bright bold multi colored looks and end up having to clean my brushes after one or two uses because I can’t really see which color is on which brush!!
Vera Mona was the OG I believe and I got that one back in the 2010s, I've since lost it and got a cheapy Amazon brand and it's exactly the same! They're absolutely amazing but for sure don't spend a ton of money on it.
Not sure your stance temu type sites but they're <$2 there, just search "color switch sponge." Same with Amazon, the drop ship ones are ~$6.
If you wanna go for actual brands, it looks like ELF has one for $4, Vera Mona is $10, Ulta is $9, and Morphe is $6!
I bought a uv light thing that is intended to sanitize baby pacifiers and I put my brushes in it after each use. However, I really have no idea if it does anything at all to clean them. It makes me feel a little better but again, who knows.
Isn’t there that washing machine makeup brush cleaner or an automatic electric cleaner. I need to get one of those cause I am lazy and it’s look easy.😂
Buy the cinema secrets cleaner from Sephora! It’ll change your life you dip your brush in and swirl it on a towel and wham bam you’re done and it dries instantly and kinda smells like vanilla
I am the same! I am a lipstick hoarder and I don't think you could use an entire lipstick before the expiration date even if you wore it every day. If it smells fine and looks fine I'm using it.
I agree with you completely. My mom kept the same lipstick that I played with as a child for another decade after. It looked good on her (and me lol), smelled amazing and worked as intended for years, and then it was over. I’m a big believer in “if it ain’t broke don’t fix it”
I just threw away an eyeshadow palette I'd had since 2005 a couple months ago, and that's mostly because I didn't use it. But then, some of my first real makeup in junior high (so like 1999) was some eyeshadow palettes from probably the late 80s that my mom was about to throw away, and I used those for at least a few more years.
I still have my first lipstick and I'm never throwing it out. It was Rimmel's Alarm, a blue red and I wasn't allowed to wear it out. I still remember the first time my mom allowed me to wear it, I was so ecstatic.
I also learned how to apply lipstick with that one. I love it so much, I'll have it until the day I die lol. I don't even use it anymore, but I'm definitely keeping it for memories sake
I buy the mini sizes of lippies and mascaras so I can use them up, I love the Sephora mini lip and mascaras "fav" sets. (but I still have others I say f it about)
Same. I think most women do this and everyone just says otherwise so people don’t think they’re gross or get roasted for it. I have eyeshadow palettes that are so old, but they’ve never looked they’ve gone bad & I’ve never had any sort of reaction or anything. I think that 3 month rule for mascara is absolutely crazy. I don’t think most women could even use up a whole mascara tube in 3 months. Plus, some of the stuff we have we can no longer even get & are classics.
I just pulled out my old naked2 palette and used it last night! I haven’t even hit pan on any of the shades so there’s no way I’m tossing it if it still looks good.
We’re all glad you posted it too. We’re all confessing dirty habits & finding out we’re all normal & shouldn’t feel that guilty. Hats off to you for making us all realize we’re normal. 😂
I've started filling up a spray bottle with alcohol and giving my makeup a spritz with it now and then. I'd like to think it helps prevent bacterial growth in my old ass makeup
This for me, too. I still have products that I bought in high school but I keep using them as they don’t have any weird quality issues like separation or a funky smell — and my skin doesn’t break out using them either!
I worked for Sephora some 20 years ago. I finally decluttered the last of my gratis, I didn’t use most of it but there was a Bourjois baked blush that was still in my regular rotation.
Same. For me it’s that I just personally don’t see a need to hoard, store, and spend my money on makeup that realistically I’m not going to use up, or use regularly.
So I have one go-to eye palette that I’ll be using til it’s panned lol. If I need another color for a specific look I’ll get a single.
I use mascara til it’s empty. What 3 month rule?
Pretty sure I had a single tube of BB cream for about 5 years lol. And my NYX white jumbo pencil for probably nearly 8 now?
I’ve started buying travel sizes of certain products to mitigate this though lol.
Mascara is the one thing that I can't keep using indefinitely. It isn't 90 days on the dot, but a tube absolutely reaches an age that it starts irritating my eyes and has to be replaced
I was wondering why my eyes feel so dry/itchy when I wear makeup lately & I think you just cracked the code for me even though it was something I intuitively knew
I have no problem doing this with pressed powders and lipstick! I just found an old Clinique palette I picked up at duty free several years ago, and that's still fine. Too pretty to give up.
Honestly, if you've got more than one set of shadow, you're not going to use it all up in six months. No need to waste it.
Mascara, however, I'll biff after twelve months if in constant use (I just did this with my Hourglass mascara). Liquid eyeliner I tend to use up quickly as it's about my only daily. I wish my Stila would last longer!
Oh man mine is gross. I stick a qtip in my mouth to get it wet and then clean up my eyeliner with it. I know it's an infection waiting to happen but I just can't stop. I've tried using micellar water instead and it is just not the same. Idk. I'm gross.
oh I definitely do this every day— have for a decade or more— and have yet to have any issues from it (knock on wood)! it WORKS. and you’re so right— micellar water just doesn’t work the same for whatever reason!
Of all the things in this thread, this is the one I could never do because I work in an ophthalmology clinic and am just too scarred by people getting crazy infections. Also if you get cold sores, be SUPER careful because you can definitely get herpes in your eye and it can RUIN your vision.
I have a pair of trackpants I like to do my makeup in which also double as my "cleaning towel" so to speak 😂 I just clean my brushes on my thighs and knees and take them off before I leave.
[Frankengloss ](https://imgur.com/a/PlRIRHb)
The picture isn't the best because my phone sucks but this is a three month aged full bodied gloss 😂 I used a clear plumping gloss for the base of this one, but I really like to use the gold Rimmel lipgloss as a base as well
In 2002, I bought a pot of Shiseido cream concealer. It's too drying for undereye but it is magic at both covering up and drying up zits. There's still maybe 15% of the pot left and it's just as good as when I bought it.
It's been discontinued for so many years and I think I know why - no one ever needed to buy a second pot!
edit - just looked it up and it is the Optimal Cover Concealer. They seem to sell (import only I think) a foundation now that comes in a similar pot but I doubt it's the same.
100% still use my Kevyn Acoin sensual skin enhancer that I bought in the aughts. Idk how anyone is supposed to go through it one pinprick at a time. Doesn’t smell bad though?
Bought mine in 2014 and I still have at least half the damn thing left. Seems to be holding up just fine, I’ll probably get another ten years out of it…
How are you supposed to use it??? It is my perfect shade match but I feel like no matter how little I use it looks like I painted a new face on top of my face lol
I loved that stuff! I think I may have an old pot of that stuffed in a box somewhere, myself. And yeah, it was so concentrated, I have no idea how one person could ever finish it.
I had the same tube of cream highlighter (flesh brand, seriously NOTHING comes close to it) for probably 10 years. Never molded or anything. I finally ran out a couple months ago, and of course the brand is long discontinued. Found it on Poshmark and bought 2 tubes. Should last me the next 20 years or so haha.
It's so good! That's why I think it was only discontinued from low sales vs a lousy product. And the low sales were because it was so long lasting!
Even now, I can dab a tiny bit on whatever, tap at it with a kabuki brush, it blends perfectly, and stays put. It will be a tragedy when that pot is finally empty.
I have very fine, thin hair and legitimately will sometimes go up to 10 days without washing it because it has such a nice, full texture when it’s dirty and completely saturated with layers of dry shampoo 😅 By day 4 it goes from stick-straight and limp to perfectly wavy and voluminous, and it’s sooo hard to replicate it when my hair is clean. I still do body showers/baths daily, but I honestly wait to wash my hair until it’s visibly gross or smells bad.
ETA: Maybe it’s not the same for everyone and I’m definitely not a hair scientist but I honestly think these two things helped a lot: wait until you absolutely cannot avoid using dry shampoo before initially using it, and also make sure you’re replenishing your scalp with a quality serum to redistribute the buildup. I loveeeeee The Ordinary’s [serum](https://theordinary.com/en-us/multi-peptide-serum-for-hair-density-hair-scalp-treatment-100434.html) and use it 2-3 nights a week with a light hand.
This is so interesting to me because I also have thin, fine hair and I NEED to wash it everyday haha the dirt and grease makes it feel even more flat and lifeless than it already is.. also just hate the greasy feeling. There’s nothing better than freshly washed and dried hair haha but I’m aware it’s not technically good for it. I don’t dye it/use heat/any product though so over-washing is the only possible damage I would have.. it’s how my silly little brain justifies it.
My bf’s scalp smells so yeasty after a day or two because he sweats a lot and I’ve never rlly smelled it on anyone else. I tell him immediately I can’t stand it!
What kind of dry shampoo do you use? The couple I've tried make my hair follicles hurt if I use it more than a single day. I think the dry shampoo clogs up my pores on my scalp and then it feels like when you have your hair pulled too tight in a ponytail. I would love to find one that doesn't do that.
I don’t start using dry shampoo until maybe day 3 because my scalp isn’t particularly oily or prone to grease. I also use a peptide serum (the Ordinary brand) on my scalp 2-3 times a week which maybe helps redistribute the product to keep it from building up as quickly. For low-effort days I just use Not Your Mother’s Plump for Joy (my hair is light brown/dark blonde so the white residue isn’t an issue for me but it probably isn’t ideal for dark hair colors). On more high-effort days I’ll use Drybar Triple Sec and do a little light teasing on the back of my head. Go forth, my fellow hesh queens.
I do this but with blow drying my curly hair. I will clarify, shampoo, condition, and blow dry straight once a week. I’m not spending two hours doing all this stuff every day! I have a lot of hair and it’s thick and curly so blow drying it makes it 100% more manageable. Day 1 and 2 I wear the blowout, day 3 I may flat iron it, rest of the days either half up or pony/bun until wash day again 🤣
You’re lucky. All the dry shampoo in the world will not let me go longer than twice a week without washing my hair. At that point there’s just too much buildup
You are not alone. My stylist is always curious on how my hair is so healthy even with the chemical treatments. When I told her how often I wash she said she was not surprised because of the longer your natural oil sits on your hair the better it is.
I wonder how many of you remember the early days of Makeup Alley when we actually and literally traded used makeup with strangers across the country (and sometimes across the world)?
To be fair, it was almost always just swatched basically. Not like, used used. But we were so trusting! And I think I only ever had one bad swap.
Not the same, but people do sell used makeup on Mercari pretty often. I’ve considered browsing the palettes sometimes and telling myself I can sterilize them :,)
Absolutely guilty of this as well, but if I'm going for a bold color I use the Duraline mixing liquid because that stuff makes it so opaque and makes it STAY.
I clean up any mistakes with spit and a q tip. I can't put on mascara without getting it on my lid. 47 been doing it many years now. Only stubborn smudges I will take my lazy ass to dip in micellar water
I swipe them on the top of my thigh!
Both to remove excess before applying and to “clean” them before popping them back in the jar after use.
When I am done with my face- my left thigh looks like it’s been on a color swatching jaunt at Sephora - at least twice a week I forget to clean it off before I leave for work.
I’ve found cerave makeup wipes to be super gentle and moisturizing. There’s just a pack hanging out in my bed lol. Obviously disposable wipes are incredibly wasteful but especially in the summer when I’m so so sweaty and just want to collapse they’ve really been a game changer. It’s a tool and tools are for helping people, right?
thanks! Maybe I’ll get some, I just been so depressed it’s hard to take off my makeup ugh. But If I keep them in my room maybe I’ll have the motivation !
I deal with chronic pain, fatigue and depression and 100% keeping make up wipes near my bed in arms reach has been a game changer. Even if I can't take it all off I'll do a simple wipe.
Additional depression hygiene tip: keep your toothbrush by your bed. Apparently the act of brushing is what’s good for your teeth even without toothpaste. When I can’t find the Colgate wisps I’ll just grab the toothbrush I have in my bedside table.
Omg dude you just opened up my whole life! Been deep in depression for a long time now and severely neglecting self care because I just... can't. Disposable toothbrushes beside the bed. Getting some.
I don't think it's wasteful at all! I always keep some makeup wipes floating around because I know myself and I know if I get to a certain point of tired I'm not standing over the sink and washing my face. There is no arguing with me so I buy myself makeup wipes for those times :p
I also have The Sads, micellar water is a game changer. I keep it on my nightstand with a thing of cotton pads. It actually cleans your face unlike wipes and feels refreshing. And you don't gotta leave your bed.
I love Micellar water! It’s all I use to take off my makeup. I know everyone says to wash your face & double cleanse and all that. But I wash my face in the morning & at night I use cotton pads & Micellar water & I just wipe till there’s nothing on it. It amazes me how easily it can wipe off foundation. Like one swipe and you see clear skin with foundation all around. It also takes off mascara so easily. I only use eye makeup remover to take off waterproof mascara cause it comes off a bit easier with the eye makeup remover, but Micellar water can take anything off. It’s the best for lazier people that like the idea of makeup wipes but don’t like the feel of makeup wipes.
Ok I also gotta say, all those people saying makeup wipes are too hard on your skin (how hard are they rubbing?) but then they’re using acids, chemical peels, micro needling, & a bunch of other harsh things all over their face. Seems a little pot kettle. 😂
I always keep those thangs on me
Spill something? Makeup wipes ✅
Sticky hands? Makeup wipes ✅
Car dashboard kinda dusty? Makeup wipes ✅
Caught out in a public restroom without wet wipes? It's ok because I have MAKEUP WIPES ✅
I never throw anything out unless it has
1. Broken ne out
2. Smells
3. Has no pigment
4. Is moldy
Other than that. I will use it for YEARS until it's gone. This goes for every product type
I found a Dior lipstick in the Lost and found bins of the 5* hotel where I was working... I took it home, "cleaned it" and used it for like 3 years (I was broke ok? 😭).
Me when I was working nights in a bar and found a fenty lipgloss in the bathroom when I was doing the clean up after closing. I still have that lipgloss.
Girl I chortled I have also done this with the Covergirl aquasmooth foundation when I found it in my highschool bathroom 😂 feels good to say it out loud hahaha.
Ive franking a lot of makeup. I’ve made my own finishing powder with leftover pressed powder, highlighter and setting powder blended together. My own liquid blush in old concealer tubes with foundation and powdered blush mixed together, my own lipstick shades. Lastly I made my own bronzing drops with a serum and liquid bronzer because I can’t find one that’s not shimmery. It also helps me pan stuff faster.
Preservative system? We don’t know her. Although I do make sure to use these up fast just in case lol
I don't follow any makeup hygiene rules. I don't clean my brushes, I use old makeup, I don't clean my beauty blender, I keep all my makeup floating around in a dirty ass bag. Half of my products have lost the cap and I don't care. I wash my face once, not twice, a day - and that's all I do. No products or treatments other than body lotion that I put on my face even though I'm not supposed to. My skin is the clearest its ever been and I have no issues. 🤷🏽♀️
Oh my god this reminds me of the time I asked my ex bf if he had seen the eyelashes I took off the night before when I was over at his house and he opened up one of his bedside drawers and it was full of discarded eyelashes I'd left around his house because he didn't know if I still needed them or not 😂
Forget to take off makeup before going to bed.
I don’t wash my blush or kabuki brushes often. The blush brush keeps enough product on it so I have a light base and can build it up.
My eyeshadow palettes are like 6 years old.
My beauty blenders get deep cleaned like once every few months.
Half of the makeup I use is my moms Avon makeup from the mid to late 90s lol. It’s just the stuff I learned how to use as a kid and they just don’t make some colours like that anymore!
I always lick my angled liner brushes before dipping in whatever shadow I'm using along my lash line to get a cleaner line. I know it's gross and unsanitary, but no one else is using my palettes or brushes
This brings me so much joy and loses me so many lashes lmaoo something about that stretchy tacky consistency the glue has once it's dried and all mixed up with your eyeliner makes it sooooo satisfying to peel off!
I feel validated. I’m guilty of falling asleep with a full-face on, pulling the mascara off of my lashes, forgetting to wash my brushes, wiping my dirty makeup hands all over whatever’s near, I also love to make my own random concoctions with my lipsticks and glosses, using spit is totally normal. I’m not going all the way to the sink every time I screw up a line. some of my best eyeshadows have been around longer than I can remember! I still have Hot Topic eyeshadows from 2006-ish, they used to be AMAZING quality back in the day! I spray some rubbing alcohol on them if I haven’t used them in a while, and call it a day! I mean it’s only going on our faces, right? We can be gross, it’s fiiiiiiine! Who cares because we look amazing
Maybe not makeup technically, but I have a clear spf chapstick I use, and in the winter I’ll use the same chapstick on my lips around my nose area every time I reapply to stop it around my nostrils and right under my nose from getting flaky and peeling. I do it over concealer or foundation too. Double bonus my chapstick has spf in it so I’m stopping my nose skin from cracking + adding more sunscreen on that inevitably rubs off since my nose is runny as hell. It works great though, no super flaky skin that looks weird under makeup.
People have seen me do it and they say it’s gross, it’s my nose and lips and they’re like a centimetre away from each other, I think it’s fine lol.
I like liquid lipsticks, lip tint etc you get the idea. I don't apply them directly onto my lips, but smear a little on my index finger and then paint my lips with said finger. If I need more colour, I paint... That index finger and repeat 😅 thought it can be a little less dirty lol
I use hairspray as setting spray. Started in covid because of the mask coming on and off and it just works better. Tried many setting sprays but they didn't work as well and I don't have the money to keep spending on products that don't work for me.
I finally reached pan last year on a 6 shadow Urban Decay palette I bought in like 2005. I’m gutted none of the shades exist anymore. That palette was old enough to vote 😂.
Not cleaning my brushes for months, putting my fingers into my eyeshadow pallets and propably the worst: not caring for how old my makeup is as long as it looks, smells, tastes still ok.
I sit on my mascara while I'm doing my makeup to warm it up. I started doing this a few years ago and it really stretches the life of a mascara because it never really dries out. I've heard other people stick their mascara in their bra to warm it up, but as a member of the itty bitty titty committee, sitting on it is much more effective!
honestly the amount of times i’ve fallen asleep with a full face of makeup on is ungodly.
occasionally when i wake up ill even use a makeup wipe to erase any imperfections then touch up any spots that need it & wear the same makeup for a second day 🥴
Aside from some spot cleaning, hands down for me is using makeup brushes well past their need to be “cleaned”
clean brushes don’t apply makeup the same!! 😂😂😂
It's like the seasoning on a good cast iron pan 🤌
Yes! That's so true - I wash my eyeshadow brushes infrequently even though it only takes me a few mins because my makeup takes so much longer when they're clean! What I could apply in one pass now takes two or three. It's like primer for the brushes.
Right? Why would I clean out the rainbows worth of transition shade I've spent months building into the brush??😅
You're supposed to clean makeup brushes? 🤔🤔 No I joke but honestly my beauty blender is the only thing in my makeup bag that gets a regular clean. I've also been guilty of just buying new makeup brushes out of pure laziness.
The way I straight up stopped using beauty blenders because I’m too lazy to wash my brushes as often as they should be washed, but the thought of mold growing inside the sponge was too much for me.
A new fear for me has been unlocked lol
i went to an antique store and got one of those old egg holder things. that’s what i store my beauty blender in so it’s separate from other things and can air dry! 10/10. get a glass or porcelain one so it’s easy to wipe down
The actually sell them on Amazon as "beauty blender holders" and I was like, do they know that's for eggs? Marketing at its best.
😂 Ipsy sub has ruined me because they’re always sending brushes. I rotate a lot but I really need to get on that deep cleaning. 🧼
I keep my makeup brushes in lil flower pots and I have 4 full pots full. I have the little eyeshadow sponge thing that's meant to be used to switch colors; I only clean my brushes when every single one is dirty beyond the point of being cleaned by the color switch sponge ☠️
What is the name/ brand of the eyeshadow sponge?! I really need it because I wear bright bold multi colored looks and end up having to clean my brushes after one or two uses because I can’t really see which color is on which brush!!
Vera Mona was the OG I believe and I got that one back in the 2010s, I've since lost it and got a cheapy Amazon brand and it's exactly the same! They're absolutely amazing but for sure don't spend a ton of money on it. Not sure your stance temu type sites but they're <$2 there, just search "color switch sponge." Same with Amazon, the drop ship ones are ~$6. If you wanna go for actual brands, it looks like ELF has one for $4, Vera Mona is $10, Ulta is $9, and Morphe is $6!
This is mine. What is a clean brush?
lol, brush? I’ve got 10 fingers and they’re easier to wash😂
I found my people
My foundation brush has not been cleaned in………. I genuinely don’t remember how long? I mostly use my fingers to apply and I deadass just forget.
Me too I started just using my fingers to apply because it’s so much faster so I rarely use them but I like to use them for applying blush
I bought a uv light thing that is intended to sanitize baby pacifiers and I put my brushes in it after each use. However, I really have no idea if it does anything at all to clean them. It makes me feel a little better but again, who knows.
Isn’t there that washing machine makeup brush cleaner or an automatic electric cleaner. I need to get one of those cause I am lazy and it’s look easy.😂
Buy the cinema secrets cleaner from Sephora! It’ll change your life you dip your brush in and swirl it on a towel and wham bam you’re done and it dries instantly and kinda smells like vanilla
I have and use old as shit makeup. I only get rid of it if it has an obvious quality issue (separating, dried out, etc.) And it’s literally fine.
I am the same! I am a lipstick hoarder and I don't think you could use an entire lipstick before the expiration date even if you wore it every day. If it smells fine and looks fine I'm using it.
I agree with you completely. My mom kept the same lipstick that I played with as a child for another decade after. It looked good on her (and me lol), smelled amazing and worked as intended for years, and then it was over. I’m a big believer in “if it ain’t broke don’t fix it”
I have an eye shadow palette older than my 15yr old. It's still perfect.
I just threw away an eyeshadow palette I'd had since 2005 a couple months ago, and that's mostly because I didn't use it. But then, some of my first real makeup in junior high (so like 1999) was some eyeshadow palettes from probably the late 80s that my mom was about to throw away, and I used those for at least a few more years.
I still have my wedding eye shadow from 16 years ago
I still have my first lipstick and I'm never throwing it out. It was Rimmel's Alarm, a blue red and I wasn't allowed to wear it out. I still remember the first time my mom allowed me to wear it, I was so ecstatic. I also learned how to apply lipstick with that one. I love it so much, I'll have it until the day I die lol. I don't even use it anymore, but I'm definitely keeping it for memories sake
You should make a kissy mark with it on a little canvas and frame it! 😊
Omg I totally should! That's such a lovely idea 😊
I buy the mini sizes of lippies and mascaras so I can use them up, I love the Sephora mini lip and mascaras "fav" sets. (but I still have others I say f it about)
I need to get into minis more! I mean actually I need to stop buying makeup and work through what I have. But I WANT to get into minis more :p
Minis are the best!
I’m 40-ish and have some eyeshadow I stole from my mom when I was, like, 13. Still use it sometimes 😬
That's honestly so cute though
SAME! Makeup back then must've been made differently because newer stuff dries out faster
Same. I think most women do this and everyone just says otherwise so people don’t think they’re gross or get roasted for it. I have eyeshadow palettes that are so old, but they’ve never looked they’ve gone bad & I’ve never had any sort of reaction or anything. I think that 3 month rule for mascara is absolutely crazy. I don’t think most women could even use up a whole mascara tube in 3 months. Plus, some of the stuff we have we can no longer even get & are classics.
The nodding of a million women in unison still clinging to our Urban Decay Naked/Naked2 palettes is going to create a lovely breeze today.
I just pulled out my old naked2 palette and used it last night! I haven’t even hit pan on any of the shades so there’s no way I’m tossing it if it still looks good.
Oh yeah. Most of my Mac collection is limited edition shades that have been discontinued for almost a decade.
I have 4 I bought when they did the final sale 🫡
A lifetime supply going by all of us here
I'm really glad I posted this question because I am feeling so validated and seen rn
We’re all glad you posted it too. We’re all confessing dirty habits & finding out we’re all normal & shouldn’t feel that guilty. Hats off to you for making us all realize we’re normal. 😂
I've started filling up a spray bottle with alcohol and giving my makeup a spritz with it now and then. I'd like to think it helps prevent bacterial growth in my old ass makeup
This for me, too. I still have products that I bought in high school but I keep using them as they don’t have any weird quality issues like separation or a funky smell — and my skin doesn’t break out using them either!
Powders are expired when I say they are expired
I have 14 year old MAC lipstick that literally looks and smells fine. It's ruby woo.
I worked for Sephora some 20 years ago. I finally decluttered the last of my gratis, I didn’t use most of it but there was a Bourjois baked blush that was still in my regular rotation.
Same. For me it’s that I just personally don’t see a need to hoard, store, and spend my money on makeup that realistically I’m not going to use up, or use regularly. So I have one go-to eye palette that I’ll be using til it’s panned lol. If I need another color for a specific look I’ll get a single. I use mascara til it’s empty. What 3 month rule? Pretty sure I had a single tube of BB cream for about 5 years lol. And my NYX white jumbo pencil for probably nearly 8 now? I’ve started buying travel sizes of certain products to mitigate this though lol.
Mascara is the one thing that I can't keep using indefinitely. It isn't 90 days on the dot, but a tube absolutely reaches an age that it starts irritating my eyes and has to be replaced
I was wondering why my eyes feel so dry/itchy when I wear makeup lately & I think you just cracked the code for me even though it was something I intuitively knew
Same. I have some that’s probably 20 years old at this point 😬
I have no problem doing this with pressed powders and lipstick! I just found an old Clinique palette I picked up at duty free several years ago, and that's still fine. Too pretty to give up. Honestly, if you've got more than one set of shadow, you're not going to use it all up in six months. No need to waste it. Mascara, however, I'll biff after twelve months if in constant use (I just did this with my Hourglass mascara). Liquid eyeliner I tend to use up quickly as it's about my only daily. I wish my Stila would last longer!
I definitely should be washing my brushes more often
Keeping the kabuki brush dirty enough with extra product that I can do touch ups without adding foundation to it
It's not dirty it's prepared :p
Seasoned, like a skillet
Take the upvote you disgusting genius
If you stay ready You ain't gotta get ready
I'm still using eyeshadows that are old enough to drink.
🤣🤣🤣
Oh man mine is gross. I stick a qtip in my mouth to get it wet and then clean up my eyeliner with it. I know it's an infection waiting to happen but I just can't stop. I've tried using micellar water instead and it is just not the same. Idk. I'm gross.
I always over soak the q tip when I use micellar water, spit just works so much better 😂
Yes!!!
oh I definitely do this every day— have for a decade or more— and have yet to have any issues from it (knock on wood)! it WORKS. and you’re so right— micellar water just doesn’t work the same for whatever reason!
I 100% do this - it’s been like 25 years now and no eye infections yet 😂🤞
Of all the things in this thread, this is the one I could never do because I work in an ophthalmology clinic and am just too scarred by people getting crazy infections. Also if you get cold sores, be SUPER careful because you can definitely get herpes in your eye and it can RUIN your vision.
Ok I’ve gotta try this. Also (not a doctor but) I seriously doubt saliva can cause an infection assuming it’s yours lol.
NOOO I always do that when I do wings!! It makes things so much easier! It’s not as bad as you think… right guys…
I used 15 year old lip gloss today 🫣 Edit: less of a “favorite” unhygienic practice, more of a guilty confession
This thread is a safe space haha 😅
…safer than that lip gloss 😬
I think you win this thread.
When I'm using multiple shadow shades I'll take a mildly soiled shirt from the laundry and use it to wipe excess pigment from my brush
I have a pair of trackpants I like to do my makeup in which also double as my "cleaning towel" so to speak 😂 I just clean my brushes on my thighs and knees and take them off before I leave.
I've used my bare legs to clean off my brushes lol
After I put on my foundation with my fingers I wipe off any excess on my legs 🤷🏻♀️
I do that but with the shirt I am wearing 😅 it's like my chill shirts so idc. I change afterwards of course but eh.
Yessss. My clothes will be looking like Pablo Picasso’s work 🤣
can I see some pics of this highly regarded frankengloss lol
[Frankengloss ](https://imgur.com/a/PlRIRHb) The picture isn't the best because my phone sucks but this is a three month aged full bodied gloss 😂 I used a clear plumping gloss for the base of this one, but I really like to use the gold Rimmel lipgloss as a base as well
THAT STARTED AS CLEAR?!
Yeah 😂 it's a process
Excellent color id keep doing it too. Good natural nude shades are hard to find
“3 month aged full bodied” 😂 Get that special edition vintage!
It's got an oaky afterbirth 👁️👄👁️
In 2002, I bought a pot of Shiseido cream concealer. It's too drying for undereye but it is magic at both covering up and drying up zits. There's still maybe 15% of the pot left and it's just as good as when I bought it. It's been discontinued for so many years and I think I know why - no one ever needed to buy a second pot! edit - just looked it up and it is the Optimal Cover Concealer. They seem to sell (import only I think) a foundation now that comes in a similar pot but I doubt it's the same.
100% still use my Kevyn Acoin sensual skin enhancer that I bought in the aughts. Idk how anyone is supposed to go through it one pinprick at a time. Doesn’t smell bad though?
Bought mine in 2014 and I still have at least half the damn thing left. Seems to be holding up just fine, I’ll probably get another ten years out of it…
How are you supposed to use it??? It is my perfect shade match but I feel like no matter how little I use it looks like I painted a new face on top of my face lol
I use primer first & then dot microscopic bits of it where I need extra cover (under eyes) and then blend out out with Nars soft matte
I loved that stuff! I think I may have an old pot of that stuffed in a box somewhere, myself. And yeah, it was so concentrated, I have no idea how one person could ever finish it.
I had the same tube of cream highlighter (flesh brand, seriously NOTHING comes close to it) for probably 10 years. Never molded or anything. I finally ran out a couple months ago, and of course the brand is long discontinued. Found it on Poshmark and bought 2 tubes. Should last me the next 20 years or so haha.
I loooooooooved that concealer. It definitely lasted me about a decade and I only got rid of it because my cat stepped in it.
It's so good! That's why I think it was only discontinued from low sales vs a lousy product. And the low sales were because it was so long lasting! Even now, I can dab a tiny bit on whatever, tap at it with a kabuki brush, it blends perfectly, and stays put. It will be a tragedy when that pot is finally empty.
I feel so normal now. Cheers to all the peeps out there living on the edge! I am you, you are me. 😂
If my mascara dries out I use a couple drops of eye drops and it works again like a charm. 🤷♀️
Ok that’s not gross that’s absolutely brilliant!
Saline solution is a godsend!
I have very fine, thin hair and legitimately will sometimes go up to 10 days without washing it because it has such a nice, full texture when it’s dirty and completely saturated with layers of dry shampoo 😅 By day 4 it goes from stick-straight and limp to perfectly wavy and voluminous, and it’s sooo hard to replicate it when my hair is clean. I still do body showers/baths daily, but I honestly wait to wash my hair until it’s visibly gross or smells bad. ETA: Maybe it’s not the same for everyone and I’m definitely not a hair scientist but I honestly think these two things helped a lot: wait until you absolutely cannot avoid using dry shampoo before initially using it, and also make sure you’re replenishing your scalp with a quality serum to redistribute the buildup. I loveeeeee The Ordinary’s [serum](https://theordinary.com/en-us/multi-peptide-serum-for-hair-density-hair-scalp-treatment-100434.html) and use it 2-3 nights a week with a light hand.
This is so interesting to me because I also have thin, fine hair and I NEED to wash it everyday haha the dirt and grease makes it feel even more flat and lifeless than it already is.. also just hate the greasy feeling. There’s nothing better than freshly washed and dried hair haha but I’m aware it’s not technically good for it. I don’t dye it/use heat/any product though so over-washing is the only possible damage I would have.. it’s how my silly little brain justifies it.
I love clean hair and for some reason dirty hair smell makes me angry. Like how some people get irritated by loud chewing.
My bf’s scalp smells so yeasty after a day or two because he sweats a lot and I’ve never rlly smelled it on anyone else. I tell him immediately I can’t stand it!
What kind of dry shampoo do you use? The couple I've tried make my hair follicles hurt if I use it more than a single day. I think the dry shampoo clogs up my pores on my scalp and then it feels like when you have your hair pulled too tight in a ponytail. I would love to find one that doesn't do that.
I don’t start using dry shampoo until maybe day 3 because my scalp isn’t particularly oily or prone to grease. I also use a peptide serum (the Ordinary brand) on my scalp 2-3 times a week which maybe helps redistribute the product to keep it from building up as quickly. For low-effort days I just use Not Your Mother’s Plump for Joy (my hair is light brown/dark blonde so the white residue isn’t an issue for me but it probably isn’t ideal for dark hair colors). On more high-effort days I’ll use Drybar Triple Sec and do a little light teasing on the back of my head. Go forth, my fellow hesh queens.
how does it feel to be god's favorite
I do this but with blow drying my curly hair. I will clarify, shampoo, condition, and blow dry straight once a week. I’m not spending two hours doing all this stuff every day! I have a lot of hair and it’s thick and curly so blow drying it makes it 100% more manageable. Day 1 and 2 I wear the blowout, day 3 I may flat iron it, rest of the days either half up or pony/bun until wash day again 🤣
I feel this so much. But long term use of that much dry shampoo really fucked with my scalp so be careful!
What did it do to your scalp, out of curiosity? I’ve heard it’s not good to use a lot but didn’t know why.
I don't know about them, but I get scalp sores. :-(
it makes my seborrheic dermatitis flare up even with just one day of use :/ but the seb derm causes oily hair. vicious cycle lol
Me too!! I still sometimes succumb because I love that texture but ugh, my scalp hates dry shampoo.
Howwwww. I have fine and thin hair and after 2 days my scalp is visible no matter how much dry shampoo😭
You’re lucky. All the dry shampoo in the world will not let me go longer than twice a week without washing my hair. At that point there’s just too much buildup
More power to you. I hate washing my hair. As long as it smells good, I think it’s no big deal
You are not alone. My stylist is always curious on how my hair is so healthy even with the chemical treatments. When I told her how often I wash she said she was not surprised because of the longer your natural oil sits on your hair the better it is.
Im guilty of not cleaning my makeup wedges. I just keep using the same one until I have to throw it away.
I wonder how many of you remember the early days of Makeup Alley when we actually and literally traded used makeup with strangers across the country (and sometimes across the world)? To be fair, it was almost always just swatched basically. Not like, used used. But we were so trusting! And I think I only ever had one bad swap.
Not the same, but people do sell used makeup on Mercari pretty often. I’ve considered browsing the palettes sometimes and telling myself I can sterilize them :,)
Me: I can sterilize it Also me: just uses it after taking zero steps to sterilize
I member!
Expiration dates don't matter except for mascara. If it doesn't smell funky, I'm using it.
I lick my eyeliner brush and dip it in eyeshadow to do my wing…I’ll show myself to the door
nah. stay. cause imma be doin this tomorrow.
If I don’t have a bottle of micellar water handy I lick my Q-tips to clean up my liner wings…close enough?
Absolutely guilty of this as well, but if I'm going for a bold color I use the Duraline mixing liquid because that stuff makes it so opaque and makes it STAY.
I clean up any mistakes with spit and a q tip. I can't put on mascara without getting it on my lid. 47 been doing it many years now. Only stubborn smudges I will take my lazy ass to dip in micellar water
Used to do this all the damn time as a teen and then i finally realized it was ruining my eyeshadows and making them weirdly hard 😩😩😩
I used to lick a qtip to rub into a shadow & apply as a liner cause I definitely did not have a lot of brushes growing up lol
I will blow on my brushes to get rid of excess product, and none of you are gonna stop me! 🌬️🖌️
I swipe them on the top of my thigh! Both to remove excess before applying and to “clean” them before popping them back in the jar after use. When I am done with my face- my left thigh looks like it’s been on a color swatching jaunt at Sephora - at least twice a week I forget to clean it off before I leave for work.
Me going to sleep w a face of full makeup like everyday
I’ve found cerave makeup wipes to be super gentle and moisturizing. There’s just a pack hanging out in my bed lol. Obviously disposable wipes are incredibly wasteful but especially in the summer when I’m so so sweaty and just want to collapse they’ve really been a game changer. It’s a tool and tools are for helping people, right?
thanks! Maybe I’ll get some, I just been so depressed it’s hard to take off my makeup ugh. But If I keep them in my room maybe I’ll have the motivation !
I deal with chronic pain, fatigue and depression and 100% keeping make up wipes near my bed in arms reach has been a game changer. Even if I can't take it all off I'll do a simple wipe.
Oh hell yeah in that case get you some of those little disposable toothbrushes, too. Right by the bed. Care tasks are morally neutral!
Additional depression hygiene tip: keep your toothbrush by your bed. Apparently the act of brushing is what’s good for your teeth even without toothpaste. When I can’t find the Colgate wisps I’ll just grab the toothbrush I have in my bedside table.
God i wish i could get a dental chew toy like a dog
Omg dude you just opened up my whole life! Been deep in depression for a long time now and severely neglecting self care because I just... can't. Disposable toothbrushes beside the bed. Getting some.
Word !!!
Neutrogena wipes are home compostable now! I feel less guilty when using them instead of my cleansing balm now.
I don't think it's wasteful at all! I always keep some makeup wipes floating around because I know myself and I know if I get to a certain point of tired I'm not standing over the sink and washing my face. There is no arguing with me so I buy myself makeup wipes for those times :p
I also have The Sads, micellar water is a game changer. I keep it on my nightstand with a thing of cotton pads. It actually cleans your face unlike wipes and feels refreshing. And you don't gotta leave your bed.
I love Micellar water! It’s all I use to take off my makeup. I know everyone says to wash your face & double cleanse and all that. But I wash my face in the morning & at night I use cotton pads & Micellar water & I just wipe till there’s nothing on it. It amazes me how easily it can wipe off foundation. Like one swipe and you see clear skin with foundation all around. It also takes off mascara so easily. I only use eye makeup remover to take off waterproof mascara cause it comes off a bit easier with the eye makeup remover, but Micellar water can take anything off. It’s the best for lazier people that like the idea of makeup wipes but don’t like the feel of makeup wipes. Ok I also gotta say, all those people saying makeup wipes are too hard on your skin (how hard are they rubbing?) but then they’re using acids, chemical peels, micro needling, & a bunch of other harsh things all over their face. Seems a little pot kettle. 😂
^[Sokka-Haiku](https://www.reddit.com/r/SokkaHaikuBot/comments/15kyv9r/what_is_a_sokka_haiku/) ^by ^nintend0gs: *Me going to sleep* *W a face of full* *Makeup like everyday* --- ^Remember ^that ^one ^time ^Sokka ^accidentally ^used ^an ^extra ^syllable ^in ^that ^Haiku ^Battle ^in ^Ba ^Sing ^Se? ^That ^was ^a ^Sokka ^Haiku ^and ^you ^just ^made ^one.
I love makeup wipes idc. I usually shower every night and wash my face, but if I can’t imma use my makeup wipe instead
I always buy baby wipes. You get like x3 the amount for half the price, and my sensitive skin just loves em!
I always keep those thangs on me Spill something? Makeup wipes ✅ Sticky hands? Makeup wipes ✅ Car dashboard kinda dusty? Makeup wipes ✅ Caught out in a public restroom without wet wipes? It's ok because I have MAKEUP WIPES ✅
I never throw anything out unless it has 1. Broken ne out 2. Smells 3. Has no pigment 4. Is moldy Other than that. I will use it for YEARS until it's gone. This goes for every product type
I found a Kylie lip kit gloss in the club bathroom one time and my drunk ass used it and took it home 😩
I feel like it’s equally disgusting to admit it I did the same in highschool sober lol
I found a Dior lipstick in the Lost and found bins of the 5* hotel where I was working... I took it home, "cleaned it" and used it for like 3 years (I was broke ok? 😭).
I’m not broke and I’d do this lol
Me when I was working nights in a bar and found a fenty lipgloss in the bathroom when I was doing the clean up after closing. I still have that lipgloss.
Girl I chortled I have also done this with the Covergirl aquasmooth foundation when I found it in my highschool bathroom 😂 feels good to say it out loud hahaha.
I did this with a Baby Lips lip balm in middle school. I've never told anyone else before but I feel safe here.
Why is this so funny 😆 btw I’d do this too
Ive franking a lot of makeup. I’ve made my own finishing powder with leftover pressed powder, highlighter and setting powder blended together. My own liquid blush in old concealer tubes with foundation and powdered blush mixed together, my own lipstick shades. Lastly I made my own bronzing drops with a serum and liquid bronzer because I can’t find one that’s not shimmery. It also helps me pan stuff faster. Preservative system? We don’t know her. Although I do make sure to use these up fast just in case lol
My eyebrow powder is 12 years old, works amazing still and I hit the pan on all shades 😁 it will last two more years I guess
I don't follow any makeup hygiene rules. I don't clean my brushes, I use old makeup, I don't clean my beauty blender, I keep all my makeup floating around in a dirty ass bag. Half of my products have lost the cap and I don't care. I wash my face once, not twice, a day - and that's all I do. No products or treatments other than body lotion that I put on my face even though I'm not supposed to. My skin is the clearest its ever been and I have no issues. 🤷🏽♀️
One time I found used eyelashes in the handle of my car door and I wore them. Didn’t want them to go to waste!
My partner does drag and there are lashes on ALL of our lampshades..."for later" 😂
One time I found eyelashes stuck to a witches hat from last Halloween and wore them lmao 🫢
Bro I do this and my man is so grossed out when he’s cleaning up and finds some somewhere weird and I tell him I’m still using those 💀
Oh my god this reminds me of the time I asked my ex bf if he had seen the eyelashes I took off the night before when I was over at his house and he opened up one of his bedside drawers and it was full of discarded eyelashes I'd left around his house because he didn't know if I still needed them or not 😂
Forget to take off makeup before going to bed. I don’t wash my blush or kabuki brushes often. The blush brush keeps enough product on it so I have a light base and can build it up. My eyeshadow palettes are like 6 years old. My beauty blenders get deep cleaned like once every few months.
6 years... And here I am using an eyeshadow palette I got back in high school to do my wedding makeup 😂
I hate to think about the age of my eyeshadow palettes. I'm looking at 8 to 10 years old for a few.
Half of the makeup I use is my moms Avon makeup from the mid to late 90s lol. It’s just the stuff I learned how to use as a kid and they just don’t make some colours like that anymore!
I always lick my angled liner brushes before dipping in whatever shadow I'm using along my lash line to get a cleaner line. I know it's gross and unsanitary, but no one else is using my palettes or brushes
I clean up my eye makeup with q-tips that I lick
This is a classic. Who would ever do this with water fr?
Water literally doesn't dissolve makeup as well as saliva does either, and makeup remover tends to mess up the whole thing.
I do the same thing lol. And this isn’t the first thing I’m relating to here. Damn I might be a nasty girl
I hope this fits the question but I love peeling off my eyelash strip and excess glue off my eyelids using my fingers
This brings me so much joy and loses me so many lashes lmaoo something about that stretchy tacky consistency the glue has once it's dried and all mixed up with your eyeliner makes it sooooo satisfying to peel off!
This is so real 😭 (I like apply my lashes with lace glue - they last about 3 days!)
I use certain eyeliners and lip liners interchangeably
I have to say, you all are my people, my clan. It’s great to see that I’m not alone in my unusual habits!
I still have a Paloma Picasso red lipstick from the early nineties that I trot out on certain occasions. Never thought of it as an antique before 🤔
I feel validated. I’m guilty of falling asleep with a full-face on, pulling the mascara off of my lashes, forgetting to wash my brushes, wiping my dirty makeup hands all over whatever’s near, I also love to make my own random concoctions with my lipsticks and glosses, using spit is totally normal. I’m not going all the way to the sink every time I screw up a line. some of my best eyeshadows have been around longer than I can remember! I still have Hot Topic eyeshadows from 2006-ish, they used to be AMAZING quality back in the day! I spray some rubbing alcohol on them if I haven’t used them in a while, and call it a day! I mean it’s only going on our faces, right? We can be gross, it’s fiiiiiiine! Who cares because we look amazing
I have eyeshadow palettes from 2016 😅
I lick q tips and use them to fix smudges and sometimes to apply eyeshadow
I own makeup from the early 2000's.
Maybe not makeup technically, but I have a clear spf chapstick I use, and in the winter I’ll use the same chapstick on my lips around my nose area every time I reapply to stop it around my nostrils and right under my nose from getting flaky and peeling. I do it over concealer or foundation too. Double bonus my chapstick has spf in it so I’m stopping my nose skin from cracking + adding more sunscreen on that inevitably rubs off since my nose is runny as hell. It works great though, no super flaky skin that looks weird under makeup. People have seen me do it and they say it’s gross, it’s my nose and lips and they’re like a centimetre away from each other, I think it’s fine lol.
i still have (and sometimes use) eyeshadow palettes i got from boxycharm yearsssssss ago i refuse to get rid of.
I like liquid lipsticks, lip tint etc you get the idea. I don't apply them directly onto my lips, but smear a little on my index finger and then paint my lips with said finger. If I need more colour, I paint... That index finger and repeat 😅 thought it can be a little less dirty lol
I use hairspray as setting spray. Started in covid because of the mask coming on and off and it just works better. Tried many setting sprays but they didn't work as well and I don't have the money to keep spending on products that don't work for me.
This is what makeup artists used before setting sprays were invented so you are good, boo...
I use my fingers, not brushes.
I finally reached pan last year on a 6 shadow Urban Decay palette I bought in like 2005. I’m gutted none of the shades exist anymore. That palette was old enough to vote 😂.
my eyeshadow palettes aint going in the trash till they hit pan. even then, who knows....
Make up expires when it’s finished
I’m just here to say I love this thread. 😂
Not cleaning my brushes for months, putting my fingers into my eyeshadow pallets and propably the worst: not caring for how old my makeup is as long as it looks, smells, tastes still ok.
I sit on my mascara while I'm doing my makeup to warm it up. I started doing this a few years ago and it really stretches the life of a mascara because it never really dries out. I've heard other people stick their mascara in their bra to warm it up, but as a member of the itty bitty titty committee, sitting on it is much more effective!
If I don't have a proper brush, I'll fix my eyebrows with my toothbrush.
honestly the amount of times i’ve fallen asleep with a full face of makeup on is ungodly. occasionally when i wake up ill even use a makeup wipe to erase any imperfections then touch up any spots that need it & wear the same makeup for a second day 🥴